Game and practice attachment for a gun



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April 26, 1960 w. M. HELLBERG GAME AND PRACTICE ATTACHMENT FOR A GUNFiled July 9, 1957 William M. Hal/berg INVENTOR.

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United States Patent GAME AND PRACTICE ATTACHIVIENT FOR A GUN William M.Hellberg, Kansas City, Mo. Application July 9, 1957, Serial No. 670,7962 Claims. (Cl. 240-2) This invention relates to a practice and/oramusement device and more particularly to a device of the type whichemploys a light ray and a photo cell or other light sensitive target.

An object of the invention is to provide a light source for a gun orsimulated gun with means for delaying the time during which the lightremains illuminated after pulling the trigger. This is achieved byproviding a light source on the barrel or other convenient part of afirearm. A switch is connected with the firearm and arranged to beoperated by the trigger as it is pulled. Therefore, since the trigger isarranged to operate the light source switch and a time delay device, thelight remains on so that the firing of the gun is a continuing operationallowing sufiicient time to actuate the photo cell target.

The invention will permit the average hunting enthusiast or targetshooter to practice shooting at a stationary target with the actualfirearm used being one which either simulates or which is the actual gunor other type of firearm that he uses.

Accordingly, it is one of the primary objects of the invention toprovide an attachment for an ordinary firearm which temporarily convertsthat ordinary firearm to a game or practice device. This is achieved bya special target which is photo cell actuated in response to a lightray, together with attachments for the trigger guard of the firearm andthe barrel. The barrel has a source of illumination attached to it, asby a clamp, while the trigger guard has a time delay switch enabling thelight source carried by the barrel to remain illuminated for a period oftime sufficient to assure the actuation of the photocell target.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel timedelay switch which is operated by the trigger of the firearm. Thetrigger moves a switch trigger enabling a spring to move a switchcontacter through the switch on to the switch off position. The rate atwhich the contacter moves is adjustable by a frictional device so thatthe time for the complete switch cycle is regulatable.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the acc0mpanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is an elevational view of a typical firearm provided with anattachment in accordance with the invention and a target with which thefirearm is adapted to be used after having been converted to anamusement or practice device;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a typical source ofillumination for use on the firearm;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the time delay switch whichis adapted to be attached to the trigger guard of the firearm;

Figure 4 is a transverse line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

sectional view taken on the Figure 5 is an elevational schematic view ofthe target.

In the accompanying drawing there is a firearm 10 which typifies anykind of portable firearm. This firearm is converted to an amusementdevice or may be initially an amusement device. In either use of theinvention, the attachment 12 will be essentially the same. Theattachment is constructed of a source of electrical energy, for examplea battery case 14 from which cable 16 extends. This cable may be ofindefinite length and is operatively connected with contacts 18 and 20in the time delay switch 22.

Switch 22 is constructed of a housing 24 that has a C-clamp 26 securedto one of its walls. The G-clamp is small and is capable of beingattached to the trigger guard 28 of the firearm 10 and near trigger 30.Lever 32 having a trigger contacting stop 34 at the upper end, ispivoted as at 36 to the side of the housing 24. The lower end of thelever forms a pin 40 that passes through an opening 42 in the lower wallof housing 24. Spring 44 opposes the pivotal movement of the lever 32 inone direction and functions to return the pin 42, pushing it into notch46 on contactor 48.

The contactor is in the form of an electrically insulating rod 48 whichhas a reset button 49 at its outer end and a bore 50 which opens throughits inner end. Guide 52 is attached to end wall 53 of housing 24 andpasses into the bore 50. Two electrically insulating plates 56 and 58respectively are adhered to the sides of the contactor 48 and they areadapted to be touched by contacts 18 and 20.

The contacts 18 and 20 are generally U-shaped and are resilient. Theyare attached to the bottom of the housing and have the wires of cable 16connected to them. The length of conductive plates 56 and 58 is such andthe spacing of contacts 18 and 20 is such that when the contactor is inthe rest position (Figure 3) current will not flow to the light sourceattachment 60 (Figure 2). But, when the contactor 48 moves forward theplates 56 and 58 bridge the contacts 18 and 20 enabling current to flow.However, when the contactor moves forwardly sufliciently far, contact 18becomes separate from the two plates 56 and 58 thereby again opening thecircuit. The time required to have the contactor 48 complete such acycle of operation is adjustable by setscrew 66. The setscrew isthreaded in an opening in a part of the housing 24 and bears against asurface of the contactor 48. By tightening the setscrew, the speed ofoperation of the contactor 48 is changed.

The means for propelling the contactor consist of a spring 68 that isattached at one end to an anchor 70 on wall 53 of housing 24. The otherend of the spring is attached to a string or cable 72 which is entrainedover a guide pulley 74 carried in the housing 24. The opposite end ofthe string or cable is attached to an eye 76 secured to the contactor48. Therefore when the reset button 49 is pushed inwardly of housing 24,the spring 68 is tensioned. The pin 40 drops into notch 46 therebypreventing the contactor 48 from moving until the trigger 30 of thefirearm is pulled. Then, the lever 32 is rocked thereby separating pin40 from notch 46 and enabling the contactor 48 to slide forward due tothe force of spring 68.

The source of illumination is a light bulb 80 carried by socket 82 intube 84. The tube is connected by a ball and socket connector 86 to aclamp 88. The clamp has a wing nut 90 and bolt for securing unit 60 tothe barrel of the firearm 10. However, the unit 60 can be adjustedbecause of its ball and'socket connector 86. A focusing lens 92 is atthe end of tube 64 and it functions to converge the rays of light fromthe source of illumination 80 onto target 100. Socket 82 is connected bywiring and cable 102 which extends from the contacts 18 and 20 of timedelay switch 22.

Target 100 is largely schematically represented. It uses standardcircuitry and is made of a panel 104 on which a bulls eye 110 isattached. The bulls eye may be in the form of concentric rings 112behind which there are photocells. The photocells are each connected toamplifiers so that a scoring arrangement may be operatively connected inthe system. Another alternative would be to use one photocell at thecenter of the bulls eye with a variable density light transmissive panelover the bulls eye. The center that is directly in front of the bullseye, would be either cut away or transparent with the opacity of thepanel increasing with the distance from the transparent center of thepanel. A detection circuit to sense the position of the light rays withrespect to the center could be used in conjunction with the direct hitlight amplifier at the bulls eye. All of the circuitry necessary tooperate the bulls eye and other target components is schematically shownin Figure 5.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An attachment for a firearm to convert the firearm into an amusementor practice device, said attachment comprising a source of illumination,means to attach said source of illumination to the firearm, said firearmincluding a trigger and a trigger guard, a time delay switch, 1

means attaching said time delay switch to the trigger guard, said timedelay switch including a housing, a pair of spaced contacts in saidhousing, an operating lever extending from said housing and located inthe path of travel of the trigger, a source of electrical potential, anelectric circuit wire extending from said source to one contact of saidtime delay switch and another wire extending from the other contact ofsaid time delay switch to said source of illumination, a contactormovably mounted in said housing, said spaced contacts having surfaces inthe path of movement of said contactor, means engaging said contactorfor constraining the path of movement of said contactor to require thecontactor to bridge said pair of contacts by engaging said surfacesduring the movement of said contactor, means actuated by said lever forretaining said contactor in a rest position until released by actuationof the firearm trigger, resilient means connected with said contactor topropel said contactor in response to release of said contactor retainingmeans, and adjustment means connected with said contactor to adjust therate of travel of said contactor.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said resilient means include aspring in said switch housing, means anchoring one end of said spring,means connecting the other end of said spring to said contactor andarranged to hold said contactor under a constant spring load until saidlever is actuated to release said contactor at which time said springpropels said contactor in said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,699,595 Lamont Jan. 22, 1929 1,923,531 Florez Aug. 22, 1933 1,993,979Reed Mar. 12, 1935 2,710,754 Varney June 14, 1955

